The Black Colonel Of Inverey (A Ballad) Poem by Sheena Blackhall

The Black Colonel: John Farquharson of Inverey

Oh Inverey's a bonnie airt, the rowans there hing reid
An here wis born as bold a chief as iver mounted steed
John Farquharson wis thon lad's name, a warrior an bard
His hair wis blaik's a corbie's wing, his skin as dun's a cyard

A puckle years won bye and John o Braichlie drave aff kye
Belangin tae the colonel's clan, they on their chief did cry
His tenants, that a reckonin bi made bi Inverey
Tae Braichlie's castle John rode doon tae dang the yett agley

Noo Braichlie wis a creashie cheil, in makk baith heich an fat
John Farquharson wis handsome wi chief's feathers in his hat
An Kitty Fraser, Braichlie's wife, preferred John tae her man
Angoaded Braichlie tae gang oot an fecht him on his lan

Braichlie wis killt, they say that nicht young Kate did entertain
John Farquharson in the same bed her late husband hid lain
Noo John wis ootlawed fur thon daith, tae Inverey he sped
Until dragoons frae Aiberdeen hett on his trail they gaed

A beggar wumman at Abynespied on the reidcoat troop
An flew as faist's her legs could rin sae John could flee the coop
John an Dalgownie noo forewarned, an that wi muckle speed
They lay abed stark nyaakit whisky reemin roon each heid

They lowpit up, fled ower the Ey, won Craigan Chatt, baith free
The colonel's mistress Annie Ban, took claes tae hap them wi
The dragoons fired the castle, pooder barrels in the foun
Blew aa tae crockanation as the reid flames birled aroon

In 1689 the clans o Mar jyned up wi braw Dundee
Tae fecht the comin o a king cam ower the Norlan sea
The Colonel, their commander, sent the fiery cross aroon
He focht at Killiecrankie fur the bluid like rain fell doon

He brunt stoot Braemar Castle that the reidcoats tried tae takk
Steered up a hornets nest o sodjers bizzin at his back
An at the Pass o Ballater young Farquharson did flee
Escapin on his strang black meer, up a crag's skyty scree

Gin ony plisky wis gaun on Black John wis theraboots
An some declared the deil an him wir certain in cahoots
Ae stormy day fin winter howled in blin drift ower the Dee
A Sabbath day.. the kirk, stane cauld, nae meenister could see

John's tenant's gaithered siller tae buy whiskey frae the inn
Twis caad the Style o Tullich syne a fiddler heard the din
Afore ye kent it aa the fowk wir dauncin up the aisle
They say that John himself drapt in an jyned them fur a whyle

At last the meenister appeared an cursed them ane an aa
Neist year the dauncers aa wir deed like flooers in the faa
Their daunce the Reel o Tullich, earned the glen fowk muckle fame
Bit fit's that tae a deid man, fin he's naethin bit a name!

Noo John hid twice bin wad an faithered bairnies stinch an gran
Bit ay his luv lay deepest for his mistress Annie Ban
An aftimes they foregaithered bi the river o Glen Ey
He wood her on the Colonel's bed, the watter rinnin by

An fin she deed he screived a poem, his een wi greetin dim
An swore that he wid jyne her fin the grave wis dug fur him
Bit his son Peter, at John's daith, he widnae thole disgrace
An vowed his faither's banes wid lie aside his deid wife's place

The sna dinged on, the kirk bells tolled, Braemar fowk gaithered roon
John's mools wir filled wi icy clods, the snaaflakes furlin doon
Fur sivven days eachmornin in the kirkyaird plain tae see
The kist uprisen frae the grun, throw drifts up tae the knee

An sae at last, a raft wis bigged an pued bi shelts alang
The stormy Dee tae Inverey the on-ding blawin strang
At last the Colonel's banes lay still… bit cannie, haud yer wheesht
His ghaist in Braemar Castle wauks ayont the pouer o priest

Fowk say he leaves a caunle there, a whiff o baccy rikk
An aye the legends roon his name are heard in Deeside spikk
Oh Inverey's a bonnie airt, the rowans there hing reid
An there lies brave John Farquharson, last o a warrior breed